Wikipedia:Avoid imitating MediaWiki user interface elements
 | The following is a proposed Wikipedia policy, guideline, or process. The proposal may still be in development, under discussion, or in the process of gathering consensus for adoption. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Avoid intentionally manipulating wikitext in such a manner so that the result initially appears indistinguishable from true elements of the MediaWiki user interface. |
The nutshell just about says it all. If possible, keep discussion to the talk page.
Reasoning behind it
- An editor may be doing a systematic task (like reverting vandalism or tagging talk pages) when they are interrupted to consider an anomaly, whether an element coded differently, or a false talk page message.
- Bots that look for elements (like new message boxes) may become confused and stop functioning.
- People find it annoying.
Reasoning against it
- The Wikipedia community is tolerant, and shouldn't crush jokes just because they're irritating
Qualification
- Replacing page titles is not disruptive on user or user talk pages, unless it seeks to hide information.
Consequences of doing so
This policy, in itself, should never warrant a block. Ever. If there is a dispute about whether a certain element should go on a certain page, an admin should protect the page, not block a user. If a user is putting such elements on one or more remotely visible pages to prove a point or disrupt Wikipedia, this may warrant a block.